This book defines identity theft, studies how it is perpetrated, outlines what is being done to combat it, and recommends specific ways to address it in a global manner.
Practical solutions to help you deter, detect, and defend against identity theft In 2008, 9.9 million Americans became victims of identity theft. The cost exceeded $48 billion in 2008; consumers spend some $5 billion out-of-pocket each year to clear up resulting fraud issues. This guide will help keep you from becoming the next victim. Written by a veteran security professional, Identity Theft For Dummies gives you the tools to recognize what information is vulnerable, minimize your risk, stay safe online, and practice damage control if your identity is compromised. If you have a name, a date of birth, and a Social Security number, you're a potential victim; this book helps you recognize your risk and defend against identity thieves Explains what identity theft is, how it happens, and how to recognize if you have become a victim Shows how to protect your personal information, how to be discreet in public places, how to interpret your credit report, and why you should monitor your financial statements Helps you recognize risks you may not have considered, such as what you set at the curb on trash day Provides advice on how to clear your name if you are victimized Identity Theft For Dummies arms you to fight back against this growing threat.
Protect yourself from identity theft! Nearly 17 million Americans were victimized by identity theft in 2012 alone: for 13 straight years, it has been America's #1 consumer crime. No one is immune: children, the elderly and even the dead have been victimized. Identity theft can be high-tech, low-tech, or even no tech, via "dumpster diving." You're vulnerable, and you need to act. Fortunately, you can take practical steps to safeguard your identity right now. In Identity Theft Alert, award-winning author and attorney Steve Weisman shows you exactly what to do, and how to do it. Equally important, he also tells you what to stop doing: the common, inadvertent behaviors that could be setting you up as a victim. Weisman starts with a clear-eyed assessment of the problem, helping you understand just how much risk you face. Next, he helps you understand, anticipate, and prevent all these frightening forms of identity theft: Identity theft via Facebook and other social media Identity theft via your iPhone or Android smartphone Theft of your credit or debit cards, and other access to your finances Crime sprees performed in your name Medical identity theft that could lead to you getting the wrong treatment – and could even kill you The fast-growing scourge of income tax identity theft, including stolen refunds Don't be the next victim: read this book, follow its step-by-step advice, and protect yourself!
Hayley is going to have the best year ever. After years of careful planning, she's ready to serve as student council president AND editor-in-chief of the newspaper. Ivy League, here she comes! However, just before student council elections, someone creates a fake facebook profile for Hayley and starts posting inappropriate photos and incriminating updates. It must be the work of a highly skilled Photoshopper, but the attention to detail is scary. The embarrassing photos of "Hayley" in her bathing suit reveal a birthmark on her back--a birth mark Hayley has never shown in public. . . . The situation escalates until Hayley's mother reveals some shocking information. Hayley isn't an only child: She has a twin sister who was adopted by a different family. And that's not all. Soon, Hayley discovers that her long-lost sister isn't just playing a prank--she's plotting to take over Hayley's life . . . by any means necessary.
Twenty-seven million Americans have been victims of identity theft in the last five years and the total cost of identity theft approaches $48 billion per year (total costs to businesses are $43 billion and the direct cost to consumers is $5 billion) These staggering statistics have prompted security consultant Michael Arata to provide readers with the resources they need to guard themselves against identity theft In this valuable book, Arata offers easy-to-follow, straightforward advice on understanding identity theft, minimizing risk, maintaining vigilance, choosing who to share personal information with, selecting hard-to-guess PINs, determining victimization, reviewing a credit report, charting a course of action, resolving credit problems, reclaiming good credit, and much more Explains how to recover successfully if identity theft does occur Author Michael Arata, CISSP, CPP, CFE, ACLM, is a veteran of the security industry with more than fifteen years of experience
People research everything online – shopping, school, jobs, travel – and other people. Your online persona is your new front door. It is likely the first thing that new friends and colleagues learn about you. In the years since this book was first published, the Internet profile and reputation have grown more important in the vital human activities of work, school and relationships. This updated edition explores the various ways that people may use your Internet identity, including the ways bad guys can bully, stalk or steal from you aided by the information they find about you online. The authors look into the Edward Snowden revelations and the government’s voracious appetite for personal data. A new chapter on the right to be forgotten explores the origins and current effects of this new legal concept, and shows how the new right could affect us all. Timely information helping to protect your children on the Internet and guarding your business’s online reputation has also been added. The state of Internet anonymity has been exposed to scrutiny lately, and the authors explore how anonymous you can really choose to be when conducting activity on the web. The growth of social networks is also addressed as a way to project your best image and to protect yourself from embarrassing statements. Building on the first book, this new edition has everything you need to know to protect yourself, your family, and your reputation online.
Identity theft happens when someone steals your personal information and uses it without your permission. It is a serious crime that can wreak havoc with your finances, credit history, and reputation – and it can take time, money, and patience to resolve. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation's consumer protection agency, prepared this guide to help you repair the damage that identity theft can cause, and reduce the risk of identity theft happening to you.If you suspect that someone has stolen your identity, acting quickly is the best way to limit the damage. Setting things straight involves some work. This guide has tips, worksheets, blank forms, and sample letters to guide you through the recovery process. It covers:• what identity theft victims must do immediately• what problems may crop up• how you can reduce your risk of identity theft
"Phishing" is the hot new identity theft scam. An unsuspecting victim receives an e-mail that seems to come from a bank or other financial institution, and it contains a link to a Web site where s/he is asked to provide account details. The site looks legitimate, and 3 to 5 percent of people who receive the e-mail go on to surrender their information-to crooks. One e-mail monitoring organization reported 2.3 billion phishing messages in February 2004 alone. If that weren't enough, the crooks have expanded their operations to include malicious code that steals identity information without the computer user's knowledge. Thousands of computers are compromised each day, and phishing code is increasingly becoming part of the standard exploits. Written by a phishing security expert at a top financial institution, this unique book helps IT professionals respond to phishing incidents. After describing in detail what goes into phishing expeditions, the author provides step-by-step directions for discouraging attacks and responding to those that have already happened. In Phishing, Rachael Lininger: Offers case studies that reveal the technical ins and outs of impressive phishing attacks. Presents a step-by-step model for phishing prevention. Explains how intrusion detection systems can help prevent phishers from attaining their goal-identity theft. Delivers in-depth incident response techniques that can quickly shutdown phishing sites.
It could happen when you make a routine withdrawal from an ATM, respond to an e-mail asking for information about an online account, or leave a new box of checks unattended in your mailbox. Identity theft is one of the easiest crimes to commit in America—and one of the hardest to prosecute. As thieves become increasingly clever, Americans have more reasons than ever to fear this elusive, ubiquitous crime. Now there’s a book to help you beat it. In two easy-to-understand sections, Terri Cullen, The Wall Street Journal’s expert on identity theft, first walks you through the most common types of identity theft and how to arm yourself against them, and then leads victims step-by-step through the process of reclaiming a stolen identity. The average victim loses more than $6,000 and spends approximately 600 hours negotiating the complex bureaucracies and paperwork—this book will help save time and effort by laying out the process. And by following the advice in the first half, you may never need the second! You’ll learn: • how to avoid the most common scams, from “phishing” to “dumpster diving” • why children under eighteen are the fastest-growing target, and how you can protect your family • why your credit report is the single most important document for protecting your identity • how to use the sample letters, forms, and other useful tools inside for recovering from identity theft In today’s marketplace, your two most valuable assets are your credit and your identity. No one should be without this vital guide to protecting them.